


Back to Earth

by natashasbanner



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-11
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-10-30 17:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10881843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natashasbanner/pseuds/natashasbanner
Summary: Bruce and Thor return and run into someone unexpected in a bar.





	Back to Earth

**Author's Note:**

> Hi :) It's been so ling since I've written this ship, but when I saw that Mark, Scarlett, and Hemsworth were filming together I couldn't resist. 
> 
> This is how I think we'll get a Brucenat reunion in the next Avengers film (this could even be a post credit scene for Thor Ragnarok) Please enjoy :)

“Are you ready to return home Dr. Banner?” Thor asked.

Bruce sucked in a deep breath. It was a lot to process, his time away was still mostly a blur and so much had happened since he’d last been on earth. It was a lot, but he couldn’t deny it would would been nice to be home.

He stood up straighter and looked over at Thor. “I'm ready." 

Thor smiled wide and nodded at Heimdal. “Earth awaits us my friend,” he exclaimed.

“Where ex-” before Bruce could get another word out they were engulfed in a bright, multicolor light. He closed his eyes against the blinding light and tried to breath through the tightening in his chest.

Just as suddenly as the light appeared, it dissipated. Bruce took a deep breath when his feet hit the ground and coughed violently as a cloud of dust hit him in the face. Thor thumped him on the back with an open palm until his cough subsided.

“The first trip is always the worst,” Thor said with a hearty laugh. “You get used to it over time.”

Bruce hoped that would be his first and last trip through the bifrost. He brushed the dust from his shirt and took in their surroundings. It was hard to make out much in the dark, and the dirt road under their feet and the tall grass along either side weren’t much to go on either. The middle of nowhere was Bruce’s best guess and that was just perfect.

“Do you know where we are?” he asked, just barely able to make out Thor’s massive outline in the dark.

“I was assured our friends were close by,” Thor said, though his tone gave away his uncertainty.

The only thing close by was the woods and the constant sound of crickets chirping, but Bruce kept that unhelpful bit of snark to himself.

“Let’s start walking, maybe we’ll find somewhere to stay for the night,” Bruce suggested. Hopefully they’d stumble across some place with a phone along the way.   

Thor nodded his agreement and followed Bruce as he set out along the road. It wasn’t long before they saw light shining in the distance and the dirt road gave way to uneven pavement. A small town came into view and Bruce was relieved to see the small bar at the end of the road still open.

They got a few stares when they entered, but many patrons went back to their own business after a few moments.

“I’ll find us a table,” Thor announced, looking around the place with a pleased smile.

Bruce sighed and headed for the bar.

“What’ll it be,” the bartender asked as she dried a glass.

“Do you have a phone I could use?” he asked.

The bartender reached under the bar and handed Bruce a cordless phone.

“Don’t leave the building and no long distance,” she said before moving down the bar.

Bruce found a quiet spot near the bathrooms, but before he could decide who to try first, a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows. The phone slipped from his hand as he took her in. Her hair was longer than he remembered, that was the first thing he noticed, and she looked tired. But even with her shoulders slumped and dark circles under her eyes she was there with that sideways smirk she always wore.

“Natasha,” he breathed out when he found his voice again.

“Long time no see, Bruce,” she said, crossing her arms.

While her smirk stayed in place, her stance was defensive, like she wasn't going to completely let her guard down just yet. 

“How have you been?” he asked. It sounded lame, even to his own ears, but it was the only thing he could think to say. 

She gave a soft laugh and leaned against the old payphone booth. “I’ve been better.”

“I know the feeling,” Bruce muttered with his own humorless chuckle. “So how long have you been standing in that corner?”

Natasha shrugged. “This is the only place open for miles, and when I didn’t find you guys in that field it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.”

“You were looking for us?” Bruce asked.

“No, but your method of transportation isn’t exactly subtle.” she said, looking over at Thor who was already heartily drinking with a few people at the bar

Bruce nodded and took a small step closer to Natasha, drawn to her like he’d been what felt like a lifetime ago. 

“Keeping a low profile,” he guessed. Last he heard, the team was in pieces because of the Accords. 

Natasha sighed a heavy sigh. “You could say that. What about you?”

Bruce blew out a long breath and chuckled lightly. “That...is a long story.”

She smiled and uncrossed her arms. “Maybe you could tell me over a drink,” she said and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

She started to walk away, but a sudden burst of confidence had Bruce surging forward.

“Tasha wait,” he said and reached out to lightly touch her arm. She looked at him expectantly. “I uh, it’s nice to see you.” 

Natasha turned to face him fully and smiled softly. 

“I’m glad you’re back, Doc,” she said with a wink. 

Bruce smiled. “I missed you,” he told her honestly.

Amidst all of the fuzzy memories from his time in space, missing Natasha was the most clear, even the Hulk seemed to long for her presence. He tentatively took her hand and smiled when she laced her fingers through his.

“I missed you, too,” Natasha said, giving his hand a light squeeze. “I’m sorry I pushed you into that hole in Sokovia.”

Bruce had a long to think about that moment. It stung at the time, a lot, but the longer he had to think about it, the more he understood her motives. She needed to finish the job and whether he liked it or not the Hulk was a crucial part of that mission.

“I know why you did it,” he finally said and she looked visibly relieved.

Natasha shuffled closer until Bruce felt the fabric of her jacket brush against his still dusty shirt.

“Did we miss our chance?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I hope not,” Bruce answered, his eyes briefly flicked down to her lips.

Natasha smiled and leaned in to lightly kiss Bruce’s lips. The kiss was soft and he could taste the alcohol on her lips, but it ended far too soon in Bruce’s opinion.

“That drink would be nice right about now,” he said and Natasha laughed.

“Come on,” she said and pulled him over to the bar. “This round's on me." 

Bruce ran his thumb over Natasha’s and smiled. “You're not going to believe the things I've seen." 

"Try me," Natasha said, looking over her shoulder. She winked and Bruce felt lighter than he had in months.

Of all the things he expected when he returned to Earth, running into Natasha at a tiny bar in a town he didn’t even know the name of hadn’t made the list. But as he watched her order from the bartender, her hand still grasped in his own, Bruce realized he couldn’t ask for better luck.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :) You can find me on Tumblr @natashasbanner.


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